Don Regnol Trauntvein

We are sad to announce the death of our father, Don Regnol Trauntvein who passed away in his sleep early in the morning of Friday 4 November 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jens Henry Morten Trauntvein and Gladys Rostron Trauntvein, wife Thelma Jean Glanfield Trauntvein, brother James Henry Trauntvein, and sister Eva Marie Trauntvein Dixon. He is survived by his sister Helen Darlyn Trauntvein, brother Leonard Trauntvein (Myrna), daughter Jennifer Robyn Trauntvein Stenquist (Michael), son Jens D Trauntvein (Carolyn), son Don R Trauntvein (Lynn) , son Jon H Trauntvein (Maureen), son Nathan E Trauntvein (Lori), and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Don was born in Clear Creek, Carbon, Utah on 29 November 1932 to Jens Henry Morten Trauntvein and Gladys Rostron Trauntvein. While Don was still a child, his father took a job at the coal mine at Kenilworth, Carbon, Utah and the family moved to Kenilworth. Dad spent most of his childhood living in Kenilworth where he attended Kenilworth Elementary School, Price High School, and the College of Eastern Utah. Don was a talented athlete and played baseball, basketball, and football in High School as well as for a baseball team sponsored by the mine owners. While he was in High School, Don and other friends volunteered as coaches at the Catholic Academy in Price, Utah. He had football and basketball scholarships at the College of Eastern Utah where he studied engineering. As a teenager, Don worked at the service station attached to the Kenilworth Hotel and also as an engineer’s assistant at the Kenilworth coal mine. Don served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Argentina mission which, at the time, then encompassed the entirety of the countries of Argentina and Chile.

Following his mission, he met Thelma Jean Glanfield who was visiting to see his sister Helen who had been a missionary companion to Thelma in Australia. Apparently, he was smitten enough that, when Thelma left to work in Canada, he followed her shortly afterwards. They were married on 8 march 1958 in the Cardston, Alberta, Canada temple. Sometime afterwards, they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where their first child and only daughter, Jennifer was born. While working for the Dutch Boy Paint Company, he performed a service visit to Thiokol and was shortly afterwards offered a job at Thiokol. He spent the majority of his professional life at Thiokol where he specialized as a materials engineer in projects such as the Minuteman missile and the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters.

Don, as an adult, was never particularly voluble and he chose to show his love for others through acts of service. He served as coach in the little league football program, as first counselor to Bishop H. Sanford Campbell, as a member of the Cache Stake high council, and as bishop of the Logan 17th ward.. He would later serve missions with his wife, Thelma as institute coordinators in Tasmania, Australia and as temple workers in the Logan and Palmyra temples. Despite having severe hay fever, he consistently volunteered to haul hay and move sprinkler pipe for the dairy farm then managed by the Cache Stake.

As a father, he taught his children that the hallmark of a good life is in service to others. He and Mom ensured that we all had plenty of opportunities to learn this. While not always patient, he fiercely loved Thelma and his children. In the few times that he spoke about his feelings, it was obvious that he deeply loved the people of Argentina. He quietly and willingly served friends and neighbors all around and required no recognition for doing so. Indeed, service has always been the hallmark of his own life and his example in that regard continues to shine in the lives of his children. His absence will leave a deep void for his family, friends, and neighbors.

The family would like to express their thanks and appreciation to the staff at Terrace Grove for the care they have provided Don over the last year and half. They have been wonderful to Don. We also want to thank the Sunshine Terrace Hospice nurses for their care of Don prior to his passing.

There will be a viewing from 9:00am to 10:30am at Nelson Funeral Home. Funeral service will start at 11:00am and will be at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North, Logan, Utah, Monday, November 14, 2022. Interment will be at the Logan City Cemetery, in Logan, Utah.